Popular Stories

I'm surprised this didn't kick up a little bit more controversy. Smokin' Joe Frazier's daughter, Jacquelyn Frazier-Lyde, is a city municipal court judge. She found herself in quite a pickle Thursday when she down-graded charges against a man who allegedly punched a cop in the throat, and then directed a wise crack at the clearly upset officer. An excerpt from the story Wendy Ruderman and I did:

It's a scenario that plays out again and again in courtrooms all over the city. Johnson and other cops say they've almost come to expect judges to toss out the felony charge in police-assault cases.

But in rendering her decision, Frazier-Lyde made remarks that left Johnson fuming.

According to Johnson and others in the courtroom, Frazier-Lyde said something like: "It's open season on all of us and we don't got guns and vests."

Frazier-Lyde's comment came after the prosecutor implored her to keep the felony charge against Jeminez, particularly in light of Tuesday's slaying of Officer Patrick McDonald, according to those in the courtroom.

"Your Honor, it's open season on police," said Assistant District Attorney Chaka Johnson, who is not related to Officer Johnson.

"That boiled my blood so bad, I had to walk out," said Mark Johnson, an eight-year veteran who works in the 35th Police District, with headquarters at Broad and Champlost streets in Ogontz.

Chaka Johnson told the judge that the law dictates that cops, teachers and nurses are in a "protected class," which means perpetrators who strike them are automatically charged with a felony.

Frazier-Lyde suggested that the law is unfair to all those who live in crime-ridden neighborhoods - like the area of 17th and Colorado, where McDonald was killed - according to those in the courtroom.